"Give," they said

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, "Give, give." There are three things that are never satisfied -- yea, four things say not, "It is enough": The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, "It is enough."

-- Proverbs 30:15-16

"'Give,' Said the Little Stream" is a Mormon children's song. These extra verses came to me during a long walk years ago, at a time when the sync fairies had been going on about the Nile.

"Give," said the little stream,

"Give, oh, give, give, oh, give."

"Give," said the little stream

As it hurried down the hill.

"I'm small, I know, but wherever I go,

The fields grow greener still."

Singing, singing, all the day,

"Give away, oh, give away."

Singing, singing, all the day,

"Give, oh, give away."

"Give," said the mighty Nile,

"Give, oh, give, give, oh, give."

"Give," said the mighty Nile

As it burst upon the plain.

"These flooded fields make for plentiful yields,

All Egypt to sustain."

Singing, singing, all the day,

"Give away, oh, give away."

Singing, singing, great and small,

"Give, oh, give your all."

[accompaniment stops]

"Give," said the hurricane,

"Give, oh, give, give, oh, give."

"Give," said the hurricane

As it laid the city low.

"Destroy and smash, that from rubble and ash,

Gan Eden yet may grow."

[accompaniment resumes]

Singing, singing, all the day,

"Give away, oh, give away."

Singing, singing, foe and friend,

"Give unto the end."

Singing, singing, all the day,

"Give, oh, give away."

This song came back to my mind recently in connection with Malachi’s “windows of heaven” — referring to an outpouring of blessings but alluding to the Flood of Noah. Elsewhere the same prophet speaks of the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in its wings — the same blazing Sun that burns as an oven and incinerates the proud.